£165m boost to tackle bottlenecks

Congested roads across England are to be tackled with £165m of funding, the Department for Transport has announced.

The announcement is the second tranche of funding from the £190 million Local Pinch Point Fund, first announced in December 2012. A further 62 schemes have today won Department funding, bringing the total number of schemes financed by the fund to 72. Combined with local contributions, the total investment rises to more than £300m.

The successful schemes include improvements and upgrades to vital roads and bridges, new access routes and enhancements to address congestion at local traffic hotspots. Many of the schemes will help enhance provision for buses, as well as improving facilities for cycling and walking.

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin, said: “This Government is taking action on both jobs and growth.

“The schemes we have announced today are designed to target key bottlenecks around the country, making life easier for the thousands of motorists and businesses who use the local road network every day.

“Investing in these schemes shows that the Government is serious about accelerating growth where it is needed most.

“These schemes have the potential to help create more than 100,000 jobs and around 100,000 new homes.